Key-duplicating machine



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Jan. 1, 1929. 1,697,747

F. A. BACHMANN KEY DUPLICATING MACHINE File J y 30, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l WITNESSES INVENTOR F. A BaJl-mann 9 v. Jim BY W W ATTORNEY Jan. 1, 1929. 1,697,747

' F. A. BACHMANN KEY DUPLICATLNG MACHINE Filed July 30, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 1, 1929.

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FREDERICK AUGUST BACHMANN, OF UNION CITY, NEW JERSEY.

KEY-DUPLICATING AoI-IINE.

Application filed Ju1y'30, 1927. Serial No. 209,580.

The present invention is con cerned with improvements in a key dupl1cat1ng mach ne, particularly with means 1n the clamping mechanism which is utilized to secure a pattern and blank in position while the blank is being cut to reproduce the pattern.

f The machine of the present invention is capable of a wide ran e of utility, but is peculiarly adapted for use in connectionwith the duplication of double bit or cylinder ke s.

Frimary objects of the invention are to provide work and pattern holdmg clamps with which practically any style of double bit or cylinder key and key blank may be accurately mounted.

The machine is of the general character m which a pattern key is secured in one clamp and a key blank in the other clamp; these clamps being carried by a tilting and sliding -work carriage. The carriage is manually manipulated to move the pat-ternkey into engagement with a pattern guide, and as this key moves along the guide, the blank is cut to duplicate the pattern key.

The machine is of the general character in which a pattern key is secured in one clamp and a key blank in the other clamp; these clamps being carried by a tilting and slidingwork carriage. The carrlage 1s manually manipulated to move thepattern key into engagement with a. pattern gulde, and

as this key moves along the guide, the blank,

is out to duplicate the pattern key.

Other and more general objects of theme vention are to provide a key duplicating m a chine of simple, practical construction, whlch will be rugged, durable and eflicient-in use,

and Well suited to the requirements of economical manufacture and convenient manip- I j 22, the raised ends 23 and 24 of which conulat-ion.

With the above noted and other objects in tion in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of a key duplicating machine embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a top planvi'ew thereof.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View on the line S-3 of F ig. 1, the dotted lines indicatmg the position of the work carriage at the time a key and blank are being emplaced therein.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional 44 of Fig. 1.

F 5 is an enlarged fragmentary perspectlve view showing the lowerjaw of one of the clamps.

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional detail on the line 66 of Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is an inside elevational view showmg one of the clamps and indicating in dotted lines the position of the conventionaliswingmg gauge plate.

view on the line Referring with particularity to the drawings I have used the reference numeral 10 to designate the base of my improved machine. Near the rear edge of the base a somewhat massive block 11 rises, this block being split at its upper end as indicated at 12 in order to provide sectional bearings for a shaft 13. This shaft 13 is disposed in horizontal position with its ends projecting beyond the ends of the block 11. At one end the shaft mounts a driving pulley 14 and at its other end it mounts a disc cutter 15. Projecting forwardly from the face of the block 11 near its upper end is an extension 16 carrying the usual guide 17 against which the pattern bears when a key is being duplicated.

Near the forward edge of the base 10 and at opposite sides thereof Iprovide a pair of upstanding split bearing blocks 18 in which a shaft 19 is borne for rotary and sliding movement. Rigidly fixed to the shaft 19 are a pair of arms 20 carrying the work carriage 21 in the nature of a horizontal plate.

Secured upon the plate 21 is a second plate The manner of operating the machine is.

substantially conventional; a pattern key such as 80 being placed in the pattern clamping jaws 23, and a blank being placed in the blank clamping jaws 24, 26. The pattern key is then moved against the gauge 17 by rocking the carriage 21, and as the carriage is slid along the contour of the cuts on the pattern key causes the blank to be moved in and out against the cutting wheel 15 which reproduces on. the blank the exact configuration of the pattern. In accordance with the present invention, the construction of the work holder and specifioally the clamps have been materially improved.

It will be noted that the plate 22 is held to the plate 21 by a central pivoting screw 35, and that the two lower clamping aws 23 and 24 are locked in place by screws 36 entered through openings 37 in the plate 21. The openings 37 are somewhat larger than the screws 36, so that by releasing the screws 36 and the central screw the entire plate 22 may be pivotally adjusted about the screw 35. By virtue of this arrangement any inaccuracies 1n the proper alignment of the clamps with the gauge and cutter may be quickly remedied.

Describing the blank clamp which" is an exact duplicate of the pattern clamp, it will be noted that both the upper jaw 26 and lower jaw 24 are provided near their edges with opposed grooves 38, these grooves being substantially wide and shallow and arranged immediately adjacent the edges of the aws. The grooves define with the flat forward faces of the jaws, ribs 39 at the extreme jaw edges, which ribs are adapted to conveniently receive a groove in a key shank, or. to serve as lateral abutments and gauges for a 'longi-j tudinally extending rib on a key shank as best seen in Fig. 4.

The lower aw 24 also mounts a gauge member 40, the shape of which is best seen inFig. 6. This gauge member is in the nature of an elongated thin strip, one edge of which seats in a groove 41 cut in the bottom of the groove 38 near the rib 39. The straight lower edge of the gauge 40 is uninterrupted by a downwardly extending projection 42 mounted in a pocket or recess 43 in the bottom of the groove 41 to prevent sliding movement of the gauge 40 in such groove.

The upper edge of the auge 40 lies parallel to and approximately flush with the top of the rib 39 throughout a portion of its length, and then is upwardly ofiset providing a shoul- The upper jaw 26 is pivoted to the lower jaw 24 by a pivoting pin 45,'and a screw 46 "working through an enlarged opening 47' in the upper jaw enters the upper end of the of double bit and cylinder keys.

of the same, and a coiled expansion spring 49 encircling screw 46 tends to separate the jaws and maintain the screws 36 against accidental rotation in all positions of adjustme nt.

jaw,'by the rib 89 and by the upwardly projecting end of the gauge plate 40. Longitudinal gauging of the keys, or in other words, predetermination of the depth to which the keys are slid in from the edge of the clamp may also be effected in a; number of ways. As seen in Fig. 5, a shoulder on the key abuts the shoulder 44 of the gauge. In some in stances the end of the key might abut such shoulder, or the conventional gauge 28 might be swung up into operative position and then clamped.

Various changes and alterations might be made in the generalform and arrangement of the parts described without departing having a groove therein defining with the face of the jaw anarrow upstanding rib, the upper jaw havinga similar mating groove therein and a gauge member comprising a thin metallie strip set edgewise intoa notch in'the bottom of the groove of the lower jaw and extending longitudinally thereof lying flush with the rib throughout a portion of the length of the former and projecting for a portion of its length. I v

2. A pattern and blank carrier for key duK ,plicating machines including two pairs of identical clamping jaws, each pair of jaws including a relatively stationarylower jaw having a groove therein defining with the face of the jaw a narrow upstanding rib, the upper jaw having a similarmating groove therein, a gauge member comprising a thin metallic strip set edgewise into a notch in the' bottom of the groove of the lower jaw and extending longitudinally thereof, the gauge member lying flush'with the rib throughouta portion of the length of the former, and being raised above the surface of the rib for the remainder of lts length, said lowerjaw having a socket and said gauge member having a projection released after the key'and blank are'firml iflfl' from the invention. Hence I do not wish to fitting into said socket for preventing independent longitudinal movement of the gauge member.

3. A pattern and blank carrier for key duplicating machines including two pairs of identical clamping jaws, each pair of jaws including a relatively stationary lower jaw having a groove therein definin g with the face of the jaw a narrow upstanding rib, the upper jaw having a similar mating groove therein, a gauge member comprising a thin metallic strip set edgewise into a notch in the bottom of the groove of the lower jaw and extending longitudinally thereof, the gauge member lying flush with the rib throughout a portion of the length of the former, and being raised above the surface of the rib for the remainder of its length, the raised portion defining a shoulder against which a key is adapted to abut and interlocking means for preventing said gauge member from moving longitudinally independently.

4:. In a key duplicating machine, a blank cutter and apattern guide, a pattern and blank carriage rockably and slidably mounted adjacent the cutter and guide, said carriage including a pair of overlying plate portions, the upper of which mounts at opposite ends pattern and blank clamping jaws, and means for pivotally adjusting the upper plate rela tively to the lower one to accurately align the jaws with the cutter and guide, said means comprising a pivot belt at the center of the upper plate and clamping devices working through large openings in the ends of the lower plate.

FREDERICK AUGUST BACHMANN. 

